Human sexuality is a common phrase for all, and anything, pertaining to the feelings and behaviors of sex for the human race. Sexuality has been a topic that has been discussed and studied for as far back as 1000 years B.C. and is still being studied today. As the discussion of sexuality has progressed through history, theories have been created based on research and experiments that scholars have implemented, based on their own perceptions of human behavior. Out of the many theories that pose to explain sexual behavior, Sexuality Now explained ten that are seemed to be the most overlapped, and built off of theories. Of these theories, two that were discussed in the text were the behavioral and sociological theory. These two theories cover some of the basic ideas of what could possibly influence a person’s sexuality.
The behavioral theory was backed by followers called behaviorists that stated that people are born as a ‘blank slate’ and that each behavior is learned in some way or another (Carroll, 2009, p. 25). Behaviorists believe that in order to understand behavior, it is necessary to measure and observe it first must be understood (Carroll, 2009, p. 25). Although they believe that behavior must be observed, the behavioral theory does not allow the inclusion of any feelings, emotions, or any other unmeasurable states that a human can produce (Carroll, 2009, p. 25). These states would throw off the data because not every person feels the same and it would be difficult to
The author Gayle Rubin in the textbook “Social Construction of Sexuality,” talks about “Sexual Conflicts” and how society perceives them and how they handle differences. Battles happen with different groups and their sexual ideologies, especially when individuals believe what another individual or group of individuals are doing is wrong. Laws can be created to prevent them from expressing their sexuality and taking away basic freedoms. Gayle Rubin explains, to be able to stop the struggle over sex laws they need to get rid of all laws that include sex, except ones that project individuals from sexual violence. Besides laws being created, daily life within society can cause human beings to feel uncomfortable or unaccepted with their sexuality, which will create sexual migration.
Contemporary understandings of sexuality are not the same as back in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Understandings and terminology in the past hold multiple differences and similarities than our current contemporary understandings.
The 10 Percent Problems and The Social Construction of Sexuality were definitely my favorite two articles that I have read for this class. I have learned no matter how advanced our world is, there are still people that are afraid to come out and admit they are gay. Even in 2016, there are people that would be against LGBT communities. After the election, a large number of crimes have been committed towards the LGBT community. It will influence my thinking by being more sensitive towards LGBT people. In the past, some of the ideas I had about LGBT effected the way I communicated with them. After reading this article, it made me realize how rude or insensitive that was. This year I have personally met my first Transgender individual. It gave
The origin and cause of human sexual orientation have been highly debated topics between sociologist and biologists. Most scientists believe sexual orientation is biologically determined while sociologists argue that it is socially constructed. There is a third belief that human sexual orientation is not solely biologically determined or socially constructed. From this belief come theories that combine both arguments, where human sexual orientation contains a biological component and a social component. One of the conjoint theories is that humans are born with a propensity for certain sexual tendencies which are determined biologically, and these tendencies are developed into a complex sexual identity as an adult. This development of sexual tendencies into a sexual identity is influenced by society, and therefore, sexual orientation depends on biological influences as well as society and social influences. There is various evidence and arguments for biological determination and social construction of sexual orientation, as well as a few conjoint theories of sexual orientation, but there are also criticisms of each theory and the validity of these arguments will be explored.
Sexuality has always been an issue of conflict and debate in society, especially since males and females are classified differently from the moment their gender is determined. This restraint of sexuality has been due to a heterosexual, patriarchal society’s ability to mold how men and women should and should not behave. As a result, sexuality has come to reflect society’s expectations, and throughout history, male and female sexuality has always been distinguishable, ensuring males maintain control of the power hierarchy. Yet, humans have always been having sex – either for reproductive purposes or for pleasure – and while both genders have the right to their own sexuality, it has evolved to be looked down
Since the invention of sexuality as a social construct, there has been the invention of heterosexual versus the other – with the other being anything beyond opposite-sex attraction. This otherness creates discrimination and hatred, thus reinforcing a normal versus abnormal feeling within people. In 2013, 42% of Americans confessed that they believed that being gay or lesbian was a choice, and that choice was to live an abnormal lifestyle (Masci, "Americans Are Still Divided on Why People Are Gay"). Abnormalities regarding sexuality – whether a choice or not – reinforce compulsory heterosexuality because people do not want to be seen as different, or abnormal. Compulsory heterosexuality is a problem within society because it reinforces a viewpoint that homosexuality is abnormal and therefore, wrong.
Sexuality is socially constructed. Women’s sexuality and femininity is socially constructed and these constructs may be the sign of oppression, regulation and control. Sexuality and it’s origin, content, and political meaning has been an important concern in our society. The key is to understand that sexuality is socially constructed. We as women inherent properties which becomes sexual by the application of socially learned behaviors and meanings.
Sexuality and culture is also not something I had readily connected before. I work with adolescents and sexuality is something that often comes up and because of the diverse population of Winnipeg often cultural beliefs among families cause conflict around sexuality. I think up until now I had thought of sexuality as a belief system that could easily be changed with information, such as safe sex or average age of having first intercourse. After reading the chapters and your posts I am starting to understand that it is more than a belief system it's a schema developed from years and years of cultural practices and ideologies.
The modern day American study of human sexuality is generally accredited to biologist Alfred Kinsey. His research was published in 1948 with “Sexual Behavior in the Human Male” and in 1953 with “Sexual Behavior in the Human Female.” These publications were highly controversial at the time because it revealed that a high population of people had sexual practices that were considered morally wrong at the time. Thus began a scientific discussion
The world revolves around sex, biologically and psychologically. For eons, procreation has been the primary end-goal for every organism on the planet, ensuring the continued survival of a certain species through the endless transfer of genes from parent to offspring, and humans are no exception. Though they may find it hard to associate themselves with plants or animals, sex plays a major role in the development of peoples’ daily lives, not only in finding a potential “mate” or partner, but also in spurring certain facets of human culture: music, poems, and art. Therefore, in a way, to repress a person’s natural sexual development is to repress the human experience altogether, as exemplified by the use of castrated eunuchs in ancient Asia,
In an era where human sexuality has been taboo for many centuries Alfred Kinsey pioneer sexuality research late 1940s and early 1950s, in the highly unsupportive social and political environment of the time. His approach and methodologies provided the foundation for most of the survey research about sexuality and are still cited today as a source of statistical information about sexual behavior (Hock, 2012). However, Kinsey’s research had information gap about how the human body functions anatomically when we engage in sexual behavior.
Culture has a great influence on one’s sexual orientation. Different cultures hold different views on what is expected based on different histories related to sexuality. In ancient Greece, married Spartan warriors would engage in sexual relations with young training soldiers to ensure the young soldier acquires strength needed for the battlefield (De block and Adraiens 574). Same-sex relations between an older married lover also known as Erastai, and the Eromenoi was a traditional ritual that Greeks followed to ensure good warriors (De block and Adraiens 574). In addition, De block and Adriaens argue that in Japanese Samurai culture every warrior was “supposed
In 1942, Alfred Kinsley “founded the Institute of Sex Research” (Macionis, 2015, p. 204) and his research opened this country’s culture to talk about sex and its sexuality (Macionis, 2015). Also, “Advances in technology lead to more control over reproduction and societies then allowed more choice about sexual practice (Macionis, 2015, P. 202), adding cultural issues to what was once a more biological issue. Sexuality social problems began to emerge, such as prostitution, sex tourism, and sexually transmitted infections (STI), to name a few. This essay will investigate these three social problems, looking at the political positions, traditional morality versus individual choice, and possible solutions to these three specific issues. Globally, some of these social issues have seen major decline, which could also be possible in the United States (Macionis, 2015)
The nature and nurture of the human sexuality has been a debate argued among researchers and scientists. With regards to human sexuality, both nature and nurture become an integral factor in making the sexual beings that we eventually get to be. From our hereditary inclinations to how our associates influence our advancement, our childhoods have a tendency to be one long trek into adulthood that is neither pre-customised or totally formed by outside components, this trek incorporates the blooming of our sexual nature. his debate is concerned with the extent to which particular aspects of behaviour reflects the influence of genetically arranged maturity or whether it comes from learning and experience.This essay will disclose to what degree human sexuality is the consequence of nature or nurture; it will likewise relate sexuality to the Biopsychosocial.
In seeking to make sense of our sexuality we must look to its origins. Where does our sexuality come from? In this article, I would like to look at two approaches to that question.